


Better Days

by keelywolfe



Series: by any other name [49]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Spicyhoney - Freeform, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Undertale Monsters on the Surface, hints of kustard, papcest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 16:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17605067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/pseuds/keelywolfe
Summary: Some days are better than others. Edge would know.





	Better Days

* * *

At the exact time Edge always got up in the morning, his alarm went off. It barely sounded before he turned it off, scrubbing a gloved hand over his face as he sat up. 

Next to him, Stretch stirred, his sockets barely opening. He caught sight of Edge and offered a sleepy smile before drifting back off, snuggling deeper in the warmth of the comforter. Edge’s soul cramped pleasantly at the sweet affection in that brief glance and he rested a hand lightly on Stretch’s back overtop the blanket, a silent return of that caring, before getting up. 

By the time he stepped outside in his running clothes, the horizon was starting to lighten with burgeoning sunlight. The roads and sidewalks were clear for all that the temperature was below freezing, his route taking him past the school and the shops that were still closed. To him the cold was more bracing than uncomfortable, and he was sweating by the time he got back to their home.

Before he could go inside, he heard his name called behind him. Edge turned to see Jeff walking up the sidewalk. He was bundled up against the cold in an absurdly fluffy coat and mittens, only his eyes visible over the top of his scarf.

“Good morning,” Edge said, a touch warily, as he approached. “You’re here in town bright and early.”

“Yeah, Sans actually asked me to stop by,” Jeff’s breath froze in a cloud even through the scarf. “Said since his normal lab partner was taking a few days off, he needed a hand. I caught an early bus, though, so I thought I’d see if Stretch was awake.”

“Not in the slightest,” Edge assured him.

“Figured it was a long shot.” His grin was audible even as his teeth started chattering. He was visibly shivering even as bundled up as he was. Edge was better equipped to handle the low temperature with his HP. He didn’t doubt Stretch would shortcut directly into the chicken coop to feed their brood rather than step one foot out in it. 

“That being said, you don’t need to spend the morning roaming the streets in this weather,” Edge told him crisply. “Come inside for coffee.”

“Now you’re speaking my language.”

In the time it took Jeff to strip off all his outdoor gear, Edge had a pot of coffee already brewing. Along with the cups, he set a plate of freshly made muffins on the table. Jeff plucked one up eagerly, tearing off the top and eating it with enough enthusiasm that Edge forgave him his messy habits. 

“These are great,” Jeff said enthusiastically, hesitating as he reached for another, his fingers hovering uncertainly. Impatiently, Edge nudged the plate towards him, sipping his own coffee while Jeff liberated another muffin. 

“I’m glad you like them,” Edge said. He grimaced as he watched Jeff pour cream and sugar into his own cup. No wonder he and Stretch got along so well, they probably had the same level of sucrose and caffeine in their bloodstreams. “What is it that Sans is going to have you working on?”

Jeff shrugged. “Beats me, but I thought it would be cool.”

Last week, that scenario wouldn’t have seemed ominous. But now…“I don’t believe I have to tell you to be careful and follow his direction?”

“Nope, but since you already did, I promise I will.” Jeff glanced at the ceiling, tilting his head towards the upstairs. “How is Stretch doing anyway?”

Edge didn’t care to discuss him with others, particularly his friend, despite knowing Jeff was coming from a place of concern. Instead, he said, “I believe he’d enjoy a visit from a friend, if you’re available after your finished with whatever Sans is subjecting you to.”

“I can probably manage that.” His enthusiastic tone belied the careless words. 

A quick glance at the clock made Edge grimace. “I need to get going. You can stay here where it’s warm until you need to meet Sans, if you like.”

When they’d first met, if Edge had offered such a thing, he had no doubt Jeff would have awkwardly refused, perhaps even walked around outside shivering his way to illness until the allotted time.

Now he only hummed in agreement, reaching for another muffin. It gave Edge a feeling of satisfaction, to know Jeff was comfortable in his home. With a nod, he left Jeff to his coffee and went upstairs to quickly shower and change. 

He had a stop to make before he went in to work.

* * *

The front walkway of his brother’s house was not shoveled, the snow damping Edge’s trouser legs as he waded through it. Not entirely a surprise; Red hardly needed to use the sidewalk and he was about as likely to make arrangements for someone to clear the snow as he was to do it himself. 

The porch itself was swept mostly clear, the remaining snow tamped down, and Edge knocked firmly on the door, already making plans to contact one of the local teenagers about shoveling while Red was at work. He made another mental note to warn them not to step on the deceptively innocent porch. Not that his brother would set any fatal traps, but still…

When his brother didn’t answer the door, Edge knocked harder, impatiently, and he was about to try for a third when it finally opened, red eye lights peering at him through a narrow crack. 

“boss?” Red asked, warily. He opened the door another bare inch, enough for Edge to discreetly push his foot through the opening. 

“Not in a long time,” Edge corrected, and when his brother only stared at him, “Are you going to let me in?”

“think we can talk at work,” Red yawned, hugely and irritatingly fake. 

“I am here now, and we will talk now.” He didn’t flinch as Red attempted to close the door on his foot, not even when he pushed harder, the bones threatening to crack. He only waiting patiently until Red gave in and opened the door, muttering vulgarities under his breath.

Edge pointedly ignored that there were two pairs of shoes on the mat, both distinct to their owners. 

“all right, you’re in,” Red said impatiently. He was fidgeting oddly, picking at his gold tooth for a second before he caught himself, visibly forcing his hand down. That was a rare tell of nervousness; Red normally kept himself well under control.

“Sans…” Edge began, and he could only blink, nonplussed, as his brother abruptly let out what could only be called a verbal explosion.

“i’m not fucking talking to you about sans!” he snarled. “i don’t know what your pretty little goddamn liability has been telling you or what fucking business it is of his anyway, but he can wire his trap shut before i do it for him because—

Tempting as it was to let Red ramble on, if only to see what he would reveal in his careless anger, Edge was on a schedule. He was going to ignore the implied threat to his husband. This time. 

“Brother,” Edge interrupted patiently. “I was referring to YOU. You may recall that I did call you Sans for most of my lifetime?”

To see his swaggering, overconfident brother deflate like a punctured birthday balloon was bordering on comical. Even his eye lights flickered, dimming as his temper cooled. “oh.”

“Oh, indeed. I only came over to return this.” He held out the e-cigarette he’d switched out yesterday. It hung in the air between them, Red staring at it with wide-eyed confusion that was no more convincing than his earlier yawn. 

“what? why?” Red protested. “that was a gift! you can’t be pissy he’s vaping, it’s better than cigarettes. tell him to do it outside if it’s bugging you.” 

He didn’t know whether it was more irritating that his brother was lying to him or that he wasn’t bothering to do it well. 

“It’s not a matter of the vaping disturbing me. Your gifts come with strings. Or more likely wires,” Edge said dryly.

Red didn’t have the grace to bother with a sham of embarrassment. He only grinned as he finally took back the juul. “how’d you even know i gave it to him?”

“Simple. You just admitted it.”

“ah, fuck,” Red snickered. “never could fool you on everything.”

“You fool me on enough,” Edge shook his head. “I need to get to work. I suppose it would be useless to ask for a promise that you’ll stop trying to run surveillance on my husband?”

Red shrugged. “you can ask.”

“I’ll save my breath.” He debated on calling upstairs to Sans to let him know Jeff was waiting and decided against it. It was glaringly obviously Red didn’t want to talk about it with him and Edge wasn’t going to force the issue. Red was an adult, he could make his own choices, self-destructive as they probably were. 

When he got back to his car, Edge took the time to knock any snow or wetness from his shoes and trouser legs before he climbed in. On the last harried drive to the hospital, they’d all tracked in dirty slush to stain the mats and upholstery. It hadn’t been a concern at the time, but he’d taken his car in to have it detailed over the weekend. 

Normally he preferred to do his own cleaning, for their house and his office both. With a car, he’d deemed it best left to the professionals. The inside was like new, a cheery tree-shaped air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror.

He turned the radio station to an NPR station and drove to work.

* * *

The sense of relief that came over him to see Janice at her desk was indescribable. She looked a touch thinner and he could see the slight bulk beneath her jacket where he knew there was a bandage covering her stitches. But she gave him her normal smile when she looked up, professional and welcoming. 

“Good morning,” Edge nodded at her.

“Good morning. I see you missed me,” Janice said wryly, gesturing to the neat but tall piles of folders and paperwork lined up on the end of her desk.

“Desperately,” he said honestly.

She looked startled but pleased. It turned into good-natured dismay when he set a paper bag on her desk and she groaned, “Did you bring in more muffins? I’ve already put on five pounds from what you’ve been sending to the house, you know.”

“Cranberry orange,” Edge told her and what was obviously only a thin hold on her control promptly broke.

“I’m going to ask for a raise for a new wardrobe,” she warned, fishing one out of the bag.

“You’d deserve a raise for your hard work.” He left her with that, her mouthful of muffin preventing any retort as he went into his office.

On his desk were neat stacks of papers, to sign, to review, to reject. Before he could do more than pull a stack towards him, his phone pinged and Edge picked it up with a frown, checking the message.

_so if i come 2 meet u 4 lunch, can i borrow a kiss from u?_

Amused, Edge sent back, _You want to borrow a kiss?_

_yeah. promise 2 give it back_

It was followed by a clutter of emoticons in various stages of kissing and heart eyes. 

Edge could only shake his head, texting him back a time, then turned his attention to the stack of papers and got to work with an intensity, relaxing into the rhythm of it all. 

Today was definitely a better day.

-finis-


End file.
